Complete Works of Wilkie Collins (2035 page)

Julian.
I made the strictest inquiries everywhere. No such person as Mercy Merrick had been seen or heard of by anybody.

Lady J.
In short, no such person exists? The nurse is the phantom of a madwoman’s brain?

Julian.
No! no! you forget. When she was brought to the hospital, her clothes were marked, “Mercy Merrick.” My inquiries prove that those clothes must have really belonged to her.

Lady J.
I see! She has turned her own identity and Grace’s identity topsy-turvy in her crazy head. The madwoman herself is Mercy Merrick! Stop! The “madwoman” reminds me —
 
—

Julian.
Reminds you of what?

Lady J.
Of what I wanted to say to you ages since. Where is she — your pitiable person; my crazy wretch — where is she now?

Julian.
Where I left her, by the doctor’s advice, when I went abroad. Under the care of her landlady.

Lady J.
Suppose she gives her landlady the slip? What is to prevent her from making another attempt to force her way, or steal her way, into my house? (HORACE HOLMCROFT
appears in the conservatory, unnoticed by
JULIAN
or
LADY J.,
and waits, listening.
)

Julian.
There is no fear of her doing that. I have satisfied her that it is useless to return to this house.

Horace
(
advancing
). I beg your pardon. You have done nothing of the sort. (LADY J.
and
JULIAN
rise.
)

Lady J.
Good heavens! Horace. Where do you come from? And what do you mean?

Horace.
I heard at the lodge, Lady Janet, that you and Grace had returned, and I have come in by the shortest way. That person has been here again, Julian, in Lady Janet’s absence.

Lady J.
What!

Julian.
Impossible!

Horace.
I have just heard it from the lodgekeeper himself. He hesitated to mention it to you, Lady Janet, for fear of alarming you. She had the audacity to inquire for your address at the seaside. Of course the man refused to give it to her.

Lady J.
(
in alarm
). You hear that, Julian!

Julian
(
gravely and sadly
). Pray don’t alarm yourself! If she attempts to annoy you or Miss Roseberry again, I answer for stopping her.

Lady J.
(
surprised
). You!

Julian.
After what I discovered abroad, it was my duty to take all needful precautions. I have consulted this morning with the magistrate of the district.

Horace.
The magistrate! There will be a public scandal.

Julian.
There will be nothing of the kind. By the magistrate’s advice, I have been to the police station close by. On receipt of my card, an experienced man in plain clothes will present himself at any address that I indicate, and will take her quietly away. The magistrate will hear the charge in his private room, and will see the proofs I can now produce that she is not accountable for her actions. The medical officer will report on the case, and the law will place her under the necessary restraint.

Lady J.
Why didn’t you tell me you had done this before?

Julian.
Because I hoped that there would be no necessity for proceeding to extremities. I hope so still. (
He takes his hat.
HORACE
walks aside, and stands before the fire warming himself.
)

Lady J.
(
to
JULIAN). Are you going away?

Julian.
I am going to give the lodgekeeper a word of warning in case of his seeing her again. I will not leave you until I have provided for your security.

Lady J.
Provide for my security at once. Give me one of your cards.

Julian
(
hesitating
). My dear aunt!

Lady J.
How do I know she may not find her way here the moment your back is turned? Give me your card.

Julian
(
in an undertone, giving
LADY J.
a card
). Remember what I have confessed to you. Let me see as little of Miss Roseberry as possible. Shall I find you in this room when I come back?

Lady J.
(
putting the card into the pocket of her dress
). Yes.

Julian.
Alone?

Lady J.
(
in a whisper
). Are you really as much in love with her as that?

Julian
(
pointing to
HORACE). I never envied any man as I envy Horace. (
He goes out on the right.
)

Horace.
Can I see Grace, Lady Janet?

Lady J.
Hardly yet, I think. She talked this morning of going downstairs; but it is very doubtful if she will make the effort.

Horace
(
looking towards the door on the left
). She has made the effort.

Lady J.
How do
you
know?

Horace
(
pointing to the door
). Don’t I hear the sound of a woman’s dress in that room? (
The door opens, and
MERCY
appears.
) Here she is!

(MERCY
advances slowly, with her eyes on the ground. On her arm she carries a basket of coloured wools.
LADY J.
advances eagerly to meet her.
)

Lady J.
This is an unexpected pleasure! Welcome downstairs, my love. (
She points to
HORACE.) Here is somebody who has been longing to see you.

Mercy
(
faintly
). Thank you, Lady Janet. Thank you, Horace.

Horace
(
aside
). How dreadfully ill she looks! (
To
MERCY.) Where will you sit, Grace?

Mercy
(
as before
). Anywhere you like.

(LADY J.
and
HORACE
lead her to the sofa.
)

Lady J.
But why do you come here, my dear? The drawing-room is warmer and more cheerful at this time of day.

Mercy
. I saw a carriage at the front door. I was afraid of meeting with visitors in the drawing-room.

Lady J.
Visitors? I sincerely hope not. (
The
MAN-SERVANT
enters with visiting cards.
LADY J.
takes them.
) Provoking! Here the visitors are! I must go and get rid of them. What will you do, Grace?

Mercy
. I will stay here, if you please.

Horace.
I will keep her company, Lady Janet.

Lady J.
(
aside, as she approaches the door on the left
). Suppose Julian returns? No! It’s a ten minutes’ walk to the lodge. I shall get back before he comes.

(
The
SERVANT
opens the door for
LADY JANET
and follows her out.
)

Horace.
I am grieved to see you looking so ill, Grace. Try to forget what has happened.

Mercy
(
absently sorting the wools in her basket
). I am trying to forget. Do
you
think of it much?

Horace.
It is too contemptible to be thought of.

Mercy
(
distrustfully
). Have you seen Mr. Julian Gray?

Horace.
Yes.

Mercy
. What does he say about it?

Horace.
He is anxious for your recovery, that is all.

Mercy
. Why has he not been here for a whole week?

Horace.
He has been abroad.

Mercy
(
aside, in terror
). Abroad? Has he been making inquiries? (
To
HORACE.) Where has he been?

Horace.
In France and Germany.

Mercy
(
aside
). He suspects me! (
To
HORACE.) When did he come back?

Horace.
He returned last night.

Mercy
(
trembling
). Where is the — the person who came here — the person who frightened me?

Horace.
She will not come here again. Not another word about her, Grace. I forbid the subject. Rally your spirits. Come, my darling! — we are young; we love each other. Now is our time to be happy! (MERCY
shudders.
) Are you cold? Let me mend the fire.

(
He crosses to the other side of the room, and mends the fire.
)

Mercy
(
to herself
). “Rally your spirits!” “Now is our time to be happy!” Oh, me! (
A pause. She suddenly changes to recklessness.
) Why not? Horace, is right! Away with my remorse! Remorse is the luxury of an honest woman. The time is near when I shall be back again in the Refuge or back again in the streets. Adventuress! enjoy your stolen position while you can! (
She calls to
HORACE,
who is still mending the fire.
) Ring the bell, Horace! (HORACE
looks at her in surprise, and then rings.
MERCY
continues with hysterical excitement.
) I have left my work upstairs. If you want me to be in good spirits, I must have my work. (HORACE
rings. The
MAN-SERVANT
appears.
) Go upstairs and ask my maid for my work. (
The man bows and goes out.
MERCY
continues with bitter irony.
) What a comfort it is, Horace, to belong to the upper classes! A poor woman has no maid to dress her, and no footman to send upstairs. Is life worth having on less than five thousand a year? (
The
SERVANT
re-enters with a strip of embroidery.
) Bring me a footstool. (
The man obeys.
) On second thoughts, I don’t care about my work. Take it upstairs again. (
The man goes out with the work.
HORACE
observes her in silent wonder. She notices him.
) You look grave, Horace. You don’t approve of my sitting idle? Anything to please you.
I
haven’t got to go up and down stairs. Ring the bell again.